HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Verdurous Seas, Cerulean Skies

Tongue-tied

"OhmygoshAmyyouhavetohelpme!"

Amy, Saaya, and the couriers covered their ears to the thunderous sound of the post office doors banging open followed by that shrill declaration. The next instance, Melty was suddenly dragging Amy out of the building office with no explanation, leaving their coworkers clueless. Thankfully Saaya was still there to keep an eye on things, but Amy still needed some clarification for her abrupt kidnapping.

"Melty, will you stop for a second and tell me what's going on? You just pulled me out of work, and I still have to go over the schedule with the new recruits!"

The strawberry blonde continued to ignore her until they were at the fabric shop where Melty lived with her grandparents. Both girls politely greeted the elderly shop owners before heading upstairs to their domicile. Once the girls were in Melty's room, the door closed securely and the window draped by a frail curtain, the younger girl finally told Amy the reason why she was acting so weird:

"HarufinallyaskedmeoutandIdon'tknowwhattowear!"

"… What?"

Melty huffed in frustration before enunciating more slowly, "Haru. Asked. Me. Out!"

Any rational person would have been furious that they were taken from their workplace and at the risk of losing a paycheck because their easily excitable friend was going on a date with some guy they've had a crush on forever. However, Amy and Melty weren't known be to very rational people, and the former immediately pulled latter into a fierce hug and shrieked in delight.

At this point, Amy and her friends were well aware of Melty and Haru's requited feelings. Amy would have joked about her friend taking her sweet time to go out with the excavator for all the times that Melty did the same with her and Ledo if their coy looks and harmless flirting hadn't prolonged for years. Their seemingly endless, coquettish repartees were becoming too vexing to even tease about, so much so that whenever Melty got all starry-eyed, Amy wanted nothing more than to push her overboard. So henceforth, Amy made a rule: until either one of them had to guts to ask the other on a date, Melty was not allowed to talk about Haru in a romantic sense.

It seemed that rule was now null-and-void.

"Oh my gosh, Melty! Finally!"

"I know!"

The two were practically leaping in joy.

A few more minutes of squealing and reveling passed before they finally released each other. "Now let's get down to business," Melty said. "What should I wear?"

Amy nearly fell over in disbelief. "That's what you dragged me here for?"

"Sorry! Haru just asked me and I got so flustered and excited I didn't know what to do!"

"Wait, wait, wait. He just asked you?" Melty nodded. "How long ago? A few hours?"

"… More like a few minutes."

"Minutes?! Did you abduct me right after he asked?"

"… Maybe?"

"Melty! Did you even answer him?"

"Of course I answered him! … at least, I'm ninety-five percent sure I did."

"MELTY!"

"I'm sorry, okay! It's just… when he asked me, I got really excited, and then I got really nervous, and the first thing I thought was 'I have to tell Amy because she's one of my best friends and she's dating one of the hottest people on Gargantia and I need her help getting ready for this date because I have no idea what I'm doing'!" The look Melty gave her reminded Amy of Grace whenever she begged for extra treats. Amy almost rolled her eyes, but underneath the crocodile tears and puppy-dog whimper, the brunette knew that Melty was honestly anxious about her first date with Haru.

Before he had set his eyes on her best friend, the young excavator's coy glances were received by many other girls on Gargantia. Haru was admittedly handsome, and if he wanted, he could have his way with almost all the females of their demographic. But Amy knew Haru wasn't that type of guy. He may have been flirtatious to a fault, but he was loyal and dependable. With such a charming personality and attractive physique, he was definitely one of the most eligible bachelors on the fleet, which was probably why Melty was so scared in the first place.

"Melty, you're already starting to put too much pressure on yourself. Yeah, it's scary, but a first date is also supposed to be fun. The whole point is to enjoy yourselves while getting to know each other better. I'm sure that's why Haru asked you out in the first place. And if it doesn't go well, you can just be friends."

"Easy for you to say!" Melty reproached. "You and Ledo already knew everything about each other by the time you started dating. With Haru, I basically have to start from scratch!"

"You make it sound like he's a complete stranger. We've known Haru for four years."

"But we're only ever around each other when you and Ledo are together. We're more like close acquaintances who flirt with each other outside of work."

Amy had to admit she had a point. Before Ledo's arrival, they barely talked to Haru, despite the fact that he worked for one of their closest friends. Now that he and Ledo were partners, it felt as if the Haru was constantly around. Melty and Haru probably wouldn't have noticed each other until much later if Ledo hadn't come to Earth. In a way, he was responsible for this upcoming date. And after two years, they all knew Haru pretty well.

"I still don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is I've never been alone with him. Plus he's older, so he definitely has more experience in the… PDA department."

This time, Amy did roll her eyes. "Melty, he's not some sleazy pervert." At least, I don't think he is. "He's not going to do anything that you're not comfortable with."

"But I don't not want him to touch me." Melty went to her closet. "Now help me find something cute to wear!"

"Picking out an outfit isn't going to make the date anymore successful."

"Fashion's all I know! See, this is why I need your help! Please, Amy?" She clasped Amy's hands in both of her own. "I can't do this without you!"

"He's not going to care what you're wearing, just that you'll show up."

"But what if he decides he's no longer attracted to me because I picked the wrong outfit! What if I wear a color that offends him? Or what if—"

This went on for a while, and Amy merely sat on bed as she watched her friend spout a bunch of hypothetical scenarios where things could possibly go awry during her first date.

Was I this crazy when I started dating Ledo?

Suddenly, a snicker passed through her lips, finally disrupting Melty's tirade. "It's not funny!"

"I know, I'm sorry! It's just… I've never seen you so bent out of shape because of a boy. You're usually so much more confident about this stuff."

Melty pouted and crossed her arms. "Well, it's much easier to joke about it when you're not the one going through it. Besides… it's not like I have a lot of experience in this department. Haru's the first one who's ever asked me out."

"Really?"

The younger girl shrugged nonchalantly. "Flirting's easy. There's no fear of rejection because we know we're not being serious. Dating on the other hand…" With a tired sigh, Melty plopped onto her bed. "I know I joke around and I used to give you a hard time about this stuff…" Amy lifted a heavy brow at the false statement. "Okay, I still give you a hard time about it, but now that I get to experience it for myself…" Melty put a hand over her chest. "My heart races just at the thought of going out with Haru. Now that he's finally made the first move, I'm afraid of screwing things up and ruining our dynamic. What if the date goes terribly wrong and we can't even talk to each other anymore?"

Looking into Melty's emerald eyes, Amy was surprised by the depth of emotion in them. She'd never seen her look so serious. "You really like Haru, don't you?"

Suddenly, Melty's cheeks turned rosy, and her quivery frown transformed into a tender smile. "It's more than that. Yeah, he's cute, and the thought of being with him makes me terrified and nauseous but… whenever we talk, I feel something. I don't exactly know how to explain it…"

As Amy watched her friend's eyes fill with hearts as she talked about her crush, the older girl couldn't help feeling like she was looking at a mirror. Thinking of Ledo always made her feel lovestruck for the first time. She didn't know whether or not Haru and Melty were meant to be together, but the least she could do was help prepare her friend for what was to come.

"Okay, I'll help. But you owe me for pulling me out of work."

"Deal!" Melty squealed and hugged Amy so tight she could barely breathe. "Thank you so much, Amy! You're the best!"

"I know." After the hug, Amy headed towards the closet. "Now, let's find something for you to wear."

~VSCS~

For the rest of the day, Amy and Melty focused on getting ready for the date (and every once and a while helping Melty's grandparents downstairs; Amy claimed she would have felt guilty if she didn't do something productive, and Melty had no choice in the matter since she did owe her for taking her away from work in the first place). After sifting through her closet, they finally found something Melty felt was acceptable for a first date (a little purple number that wasn't too showy, but still drew the eye). By the time they found the outfit, it was almost time for Melty to meet up with Haru. So after applying a touch of makeup, Melty left the fabric shop and waited in front of the rendezvous point Haru had picked for the date (or what she thought was the rendezvous point; she was still reeling at the fact that he asked her out while he gave her directions).

The location was known as the Dockspree. This was the area where the main performances of the cultural festival were held. It was a widespread plaza surrounded by many shops and restaurants, with a stage at one end, which always had some form of entertainment. The area was usually congested with people, especially at the end of the week. Even today, the streets were already bustling with people enjoying their night.

The seconds ticked as Melty waited for Haru to show up, and the closer the time came for their date to start, the more nauseated Melty felt.

I wish he'd show up already! I'm starting to sweat through this dress!

Melty wasn't lying to Amy; she might've talked of big game, but at the end of the day she was just as clueless about this stuff as the average teenage girl. She knew about general dating customs, but there weren't many opportunities for her to experience them firsthand. As Melty neared adulthood, her body started to mature, and the courier boys made it very obvious that they found her physical changes very appealing. When she was younger, she would've eaten up the attention, but between work and helping her grandparents, she rarely had time to even think about boys, let alone acknowledge their interest in her.

With Haru, things were different. After joining their social circle, he, Ledo and Pinion were the only guys boys she was ever around. On the surface, he seemed like a shameless playboy, chatting it up with any young skirt who happened to pass him by, but when Melty actually talked with him, she knew there was more to Haru than looks alone. He was smart and funny and thoughtful; even when they were just teasing each other, she knew he was actually listening and not just telling her what she wanted to hear. Soon, his flirtatious advances became solely focused on her, and underneath the kittenish banter, Melty sensed what she could only describe as a spark. It grew brighter during each interaction, and Melty knew Haru could sense it, too. However, she grew too comfortable with their routine to address it, and she didn't want to ruin their relationship by doing so. But after weeks of tiptoeing around the issue, Haru had finally asked her out, and now she had an opportunity to see if the spark would lead anywhere.

Or nowhere, if things ended as badly as she feared.

"Hey, Melty."

Melty nearly jumped out of her dress when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Behind her stood Haru, his posture completely lax compared to her rigid disposition.

"Sorry, Melty. Didn't mean to scare you. Ready to go?"

"Y-Yeah! Let's get this date started, shall we!" Melty winced at how high-pitched her voice came out, but Haru didn't seem to notice.

Without further preamble, Haru offered Melty his arm, which she hesitantly took, and led her away. And thus, the date began.

He took her to a small bistro next to the entertainment area. The couple sat at a table near the stage where a band was playing some very percussive rhythms that invited people to dance, and there were already a few couples on the dancefloor. After taking a seat, Haru went to get them some drinks, leaving Melty to her own devices.

The date just started and it already feels like it's going horribly wrong! He didn't even comment on my dress! Does it not look pretty enough! No, no, I look fabulous. But he didn't seem too eager to stay at the table once we got here, so I must be doing something wrong…!

As those tumultuous thoughts continued to fill her mind, a louder, more lucid voice broke through, and it sounded suspiciously like Amy.

Calm down. The point of the date is to get to know each other. Just be you.

Heeding her friend's advice, Melty took a deep breath and settled down. There was no point in making herself panic when the date had only just begun. Looking around, she realized that she was in familiar territory, and that helped calm her nerves immensely. She, Amy and Saaya performed on that stage every year during the cultural festival. She basically danced half-naked in front of the entire fleet. If she could do that, then she could get through this date. And once Haru came back, maybe she would show him some of her moves up close…

"Water, milady?" Once again, Haru's abrupt approach scared the daylights out of Melty, and the young woman accidentally knocked the glass offered to her out of his hand, spilling water all over a hapless man sitting at the table behind them.

"Sorry about that!" Haru apologized. The disgruntled man merely grumbled before leaving the table with his companion.

Great. I'm not only ruining my first date, Melty thought in a self-deprecating manner, I'm ruining everyone's date night!

But Haru seemed nonplussed by her faux pas. "I'm sorry I keep scaring you like that. Here." He set down the other glass before taking a seat in next to her. "So, what's new in the courier bus—"

"Dancing!"

"… What?"

Melty could have died right there. Under normal circumstances, she was a natural wordsmith, but this date was making her tongue-tied.

How am I going to get through this without looking like an idiot?

She then remembered Amy's words and took a deep breath before trying again. "Do you… like dancing?"

"Well, I'm not much of a dancer. I'd rather watch people who have a knack for it, like the belly dancers during the cultural festival."

Melty blushed. "R-Really?"

"Yeah. I've especially had my eye on one of the dancers in particular. She wears purple, and she's got the most dazzling green eyes," he murmured, winking suggestively.

Realizing what he was doing, Melty casually crossed her legs and leaned her chin into her palm. "Oh, really," she purred. "Well, I'm sure she could show you a few moves. That is, if you're not too afraid to join her on the dancefloor."

The brunette's eyes widened briefly at the challenge before he smirked, and with a flourish, he got up from his seat and offered his hand. "Shall we?" Melty gladly took it and led him onto the dancefloor.

The song that was now playing was similar to what normally supplemented the exotic dances performed during the cultural festival. The scene made Melty feel even more relaxed, and as she danced with Haru, the jitters that had been shuddering throughout her body at the beginning of the date disappeared. It no longer felt like she was on a date with one of Gargantia's most eligible bachelors, just Ledo's excavation partner and her flirtatious friend. She should have listened to Amy and not gotten so hung up on the little things that had her so flustered in the first place. Once they returned to their normal routine, she and Haru were finally able to enjoy their night. That was probably why he brought up the cultural festival beforehand, and his consideration delighted her.

"For someone who spends a lot of time underwater, you sure know how to move your feet," Melty teased.

"You're not so bad yourself," he rejoined playfully, "for someone who spends a majority of their day in the air."

"Well, I am sort of a professional at this."

A dazzling smile lit up his face as he laughed, and as she looked into his liberty blue eyes, shining as brightly as the colorful lanterns hanging around the Dockspree, she sensed that special spark between them once again. For a moment, it was as if they were the only two left in the whole world, and Melty didn't want this moment to end. Before she knew it, the fast-paced jam transformed into a slow song. This, unfortunately, was less familiar territory for the young woman.

As if sensing her unease, Haru took her hand and led her back to their table. "I'm a bit thirsty from all that dancing. I'm gonna get something from over there"—he pointed to a yakisoba stand a little farther from their table—"and some food while I'm at it."

"You can have my water!" Melty offered, gesturing to the glass of water he'd given to her earlier. "It was originally yours, anyway."

"No, that's okay. I won't take long. Don't go showing off your moves to any other boys while I'm gone."

"Oh, so I can show off to the girls?"

"If you prefer…" He winked at her one more time before going off to find some food.

Once he was gone, Melty sighed contentedly. For a first date, things were going great. There were a few hiccups at the beginning, but as the evening had progressed, Melty felt as if this night was going to end on a wonderful note. Not to mention that spark had practically turned into a fiery blaze of passion on the dancefloor.

Haru might just be the one…

Melty let her thoughts take her to Cloud Nine as she waited for her date to come back. She imagined her life with Haru, all the possible futures she could have with him, when she noticed a group of women looking at her. They were whispering and pointing in such a conspicuous manner it quickly soured Melty's good mood. She immediately strutted over to their table, her arms akimbo. At least they had the decency to look ashamed as soon as she confronted them.

"What gives? You got a problem with me or something?"

The only redhead in the group spoke up, "You were with Haru, right?"

"How's that any of your business?" she snapped irately.

Instead of answering, the redhead pointed in the direction in which Haru went to get food. Melty glanced over her shoulder and she nearly screamed at what she saw. Between the tiny bistro and the yakisoba stand was Haru and another girl—most likely a member of this unsavory group—making out. The girl had a taut grasp on Haru's shirt, pulling him down so her tongue could venture further into his mouth. Haru's hands weren't anywhere near this girl, but the scene didn't look any less incriminating to Melty. As soon as his eye met hers, she ran.

I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid…!

As the memory of that very recent, humiliating incident replayed in her head, Melty ran faster until she was no longer on the Dockspree. And as she drew closer to home, the blazing spark began to wane…

"Melty, wait!" Haru suddenly grabbed her wrist, stopping her from going any further, but Melty refused to look at him. Thankfully, they were far from any witnesses because the last thing she wanted was for anyone to see her tears. "Melty, what you saw—it's not what you think! That girl had grabbed me and kissed me and I know it sounds like I'm making excuses, but I swear I would never do anything to—"

"Do you like me?" Melty turned and faced him, and his hand released her in astonishment. Despite the tears falling down her cheeks, her voice was surprisingly steady and clear. "I know that sounds like a stupid question because you wouldn't have asked me out if you didn't like me, but then you kissed that girl—or I guess she was kissing you—but that doesn't matter because whether or not you like me, you still asked to go on this date, and I want to know if you're serious about us because I've honestly liked you for a really long time and I was too afraid to tell you because you're one of the hottest guys on this fleet and I'm sure you've been with a number of girls before you even looked at me and—"

"Of course I like you." Haru took her hands and squeezed them tenderly. "And I've only dated, like, two girls before you… Well, it wasn't really dating so much as two unfortunate flings, and the girl who kissed me was one of them…" The frown on her face told him she didn't care to know these facts. "B-But that's not important! The point I'm trying to make is…" He wiped her tears away, and the smile he gave her broke her heart. "I've wanted to ask you out for a long time, but I was too afraid to because… well, I didn't think you were interested in me."

This gave Melty pause. That was the last thing she expected him to say. "But… you're hot!"

"Hey, there's more to me than this sexy body!" he pouted cutely, releasing her hands to cross his arms. "I know people see me as a playboy, but I've never actually been with anybody, at least not for real. But after those two flings, people only see me as the kind of guy who fools around with other girls. And sure, girls have made their interests clear, but… You're the only one who's ever seen me for… well, me. I've had feelings for you for a long time. Probably longer than you've liked me, actually."

She blushed. "Really?"

"Yeah. It was actually during Ledo's first birthday party some years back when I first started feeling something towards you. It was the first time we had a real conversation. You told me you once dreamed that you were on a surf kite, flying around the world and jumping from fleet to fleet. You said that even though it was the most amazing dream you've ever had, it was also the loneliest."

Melty remembered that dream very well: the exhilaration of flying over the verdurous seas, visiting the amazing fleets that occupied the Earth, discovering things she could only imagine in a dream such as this—it truly was the best dream she'd ever had. She also remembered the vapid feeling in her chest when she realized that she was alone. The one thing she didn't remember was telling Haru about it.

Well, Amy and Saaya have told me I tend to get lost in my own head whenever I recount my dreams.

"'The only thing better than traveling the world is traveling the world with someone special.' That's what you told me," Haru said, "and that's when I realized… that's exactly what I want, too: to spend the rest of my life with that special someone, riding the waves wherever they take us. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about you." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I know that sounds lame, but—"

"No, it's not!" Melty objected wholeheartedly, taking his hand once again. "I wish more guys were like you! The boys interested in me are only after one thing. But when you asked me out, I was not only excited about my first date, but also… well, it's you." This time, it was Haru's turn to blush. "I honestly thought that you were too good for me."

"Are you kidding me?! Melty, you're awesome! You're fun to hang out with, not to mention you're one of the bravest people I know. I never would have had the guts to fly a surf kite and face those crazy Yunboros like you and your friends did. If anything, you're too good for me." Melty's face was sweltering from the flattering compliments. She had no idea Haru felt this way towards her. "You've had such an exciting life; I didn't think you'd want to be with someone as dull as me."

"Y-You're not dull at all! You're so sweet and you always make me laugh and you're honest… I couldn't imagine being on this fleet without you."

Melty and Haru exchanged a timid look before turning away from each other, both of their faces bright red. The spark was back and brighter than ever. But in spite of this and the fact that they'd just poured their hearts out to each other, it was still hard to maintain eye contact. However, their hands were still linked together, their grasp on each other strong and silently comforting.

Suddenly, Haru let out a heavy breath. "M-Man, how I envy Ledo and Amy. They make relationships look so easy!"

"Yeah, they do! Amy's the one who told me that dating's supposed to be fun," Melty susurrated grudgingly. "I've never been so stressed in my life!"

"Same. I always get so tongue-tied when I'm with you. Flirting was so much easier."

"I know, right! It's not serious—"

"—and there's no fear of rejection!" They both laughed, relieved to be on the same page.

"I really am sorry, Melty. I really wanted tonight to be special. I didn't mean to ruin your first date."

Melty squeezed his hand in reassurance. "You didn't ruin it; that vindictive jezebel did. But I know how you can make it up to me."

"… With a kiss?" Haru suggested in jest.

She punched his arm playfully with her other hand. "No way! I don't want your ex's sloppy seconds! I was thinking something a little more… adventurous…"

~VSCS~

On the other side of the fleet, Amy was getting ready for bed when she spotted something strange outside. Looking out her window, she saw a figure soaring through the air. This late at night, anyone would have mistaken it for a bird or even a koinobori gone loose, but as Amy leaned out to get a closer look, she recognized the distinct size and shape of a surf kite. She retrieved Ledo's spyglass from the nightstand to get a better look and beamed at what she saw.

"Way to go, Melty!" she whispered in excitement.

"Did you say something, Amy?" Ledo asked from the bathroom.

"No, it was nothing."

Putting away the glass, Amy continued her bedtime ritual, her mind at ease knowing her best friend was enjoying her first date. She was honestly scared for Melty's sake, especially since the younger girl was so wound up. But in the end, it seemed neither one of them had anything to worry about. She still wasn't sure if Melty and Haru were a match made in heaven, but they had all the time in the world to figure it out.

After all, this was just the first of their many adventures together…

I really hope you guys enjoyed that! I'm sure some of you were looking forward to seeing more Gargantia babies, but I decided to keep this one short and sweet. I wanted to explore more of Melty's relationship with Haru and how they got together. Even though he's an OC, I haven't really displayed much of his personality in the chapters that feature him. I also wanted to focus on other characters besides Ledo, Amy and Bebel. Don't worry, Nanami will show up again... but I can't guarantee when.

As for any future updates, like I said before, this will be the last one for a while. But I promise not to leave you hanging for years.

R&R!